The Power Over Ethernet (POE) standard, described in IEEE standards 802.3af and 802.3at, was originally designed and envisioned to power-up small Internet Protocol (IP) devices, such as wireless access points and IP cameras. POE enables a single cable (i.e., CAT5 Ethernet cable) to provide both data connection and electrical power. Using POE, a central power source may provide power to Ethernet devices for distances under 100 meters without individually powering the Ethernet devices with a dedicated AC outlet. However, end devices for storage systems (e.g., hard disk drives) and other communication protocols are not supported in the IEEE 802.3at and 802.3af standards.